


live and breathe right on the page

by dyules



Series: in fifty different timelines [1]
Category: Free!
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - 1920s, Gen, Newsboys
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-04
Updated: 2014-09-04
Packaged: 2018-02-16 03:49:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2254770
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dyules/pseuds/dyules
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>1920s newsboy AU. Haruka, Rin and Makoto, waiting for the freshly-printed papers of the day.</p>
            </blockquote>





	live and breathe right on the page

"Ah! Freestyle, what’s eatin’ you? Better get a move on or I’ll be sellin’ more than you again!"

Giggling, the boy scampered off towards the printing houses, tugging his threadbare cap on and flashing a cheeky grin. Haruka, or _Freestyle_ , as the newsboys down Newspaper Row called him, sighed once before pulling himself up to his feet. Day was breaking and it was time for the public to get their daily paper fix. Milling around him were other newsboys of different ages, waiting for the presses to drop the freshly-printed papers of the day.

He found Rin with a cup of coffee, chatting with Makoto.

"So this dame comes up in this big old jalopy, and I swear, Mack, her gams - oh! So you finally grace us with your presence huh, Free?" Rin, all sharp teeth and enthusiasm, enjoyed being a newsboy too much, Haruka thought. He had moved from Chicago two months previously and started work a week after. It was all too new for him, the glitz, the flappers, New York in all its nifty glory.

"They didn’t have molls back in Chicago?" Haruka asked quietly, his breath fogging in front of him.

"Oh, they did! But you can’t look at them for long ‘cos those gangsters would take you for a ride!" Rin mimed a gunshot with his fingers, pointing directly at Makoto.

Makoto laughed, he was always easily impressed with Rin. It didn’t make sense for this generally sweet and kind boy to be called _Hard Mack_ , but very little made sense in their small inclusive worlds - immigrants, orphans, relying on their own abilities to survive. Makoto had two younger siblings, and Haruka knew Rin had a sister, although he was always secretive about his family back in Chicago. Haruka had been alone most of his life.

 _Captain S_ , easily one of the biggest boys in the block, arrived with a bag of sinkers which he passed around. “Rinrin! I heard you sold more than your share just yesterday? Still competing with the champ Nanase huh?”

Rin choked on the doughnut he was eating. “I told’ya to call me _Sharkteeth_ , Cap’n! No more of that Rinrin nonsense! I don’t see you call Free and Mack kiddy names!”

"You’ll earn it soon enough, big cheese!" His boisterous laugh masked Rin’s continued beef.

A small disturbance down the printing house’s chute signaled the start of a new work day. Captain S marched off to find his wayward little brother, while the remaining three trooped over to buy their day’s share.

“So. D’you think you’ll sell more than me today, Freestyle?” Rin was jangling a coin purse in his hand, looking at him again with that same cheeky grin he always wore. “What’d you say? Cash or check?”

Makoto was laughing by his side again. “Don’t razz him too much, Rin. Let’s just try to sell as much as we can.”

“Whatever,” Haruka didn’t care, as long as he had enough dough for tomorrow. But Rin ran forward and whooped like someone drunk on hooch, Makoto following him doubled over with laughter, and he felt, increasingly and almost inevitably, dragged into their orbit.

**Author's Note:**

> so i thought i’d try the [50 aus meme](http://brighterthanroses.tumblr.com/post/96066975706/the-50-aus-meme) and… this was the first one
> 
> dialogue inaccuracies, probably, but i had fun! ([also cash or check means “do you kiss now or later?” haha](http://local.aaca.org/bntc/slang/slang.htm))
> 
> also on [tumblr](http://dyules.tumblr.com/post/96631817123/live-and-breathe-right-on-the-page-a-1920s-newsboy-au)!


End file.
